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Walker G, Brown C, Ge X, Kumar S, Muzumdar MD, Gupta K, Bhattacharyya M. Oligomeric organization of membrane proteins from native membranes at nanoscale spatial and single-molecule resolution. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 19:85-94. [PMID: 38012273 PMCID: PMC10981947 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-023-01547-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
The oligomeric organization of membrane proteins in native cell membranes is a critical regulator of their function. High-resolution quantitative measurements of oligomeric assemblies and how they change under different conditions are indispensable to understanding membrane protein biology. We report Native-nanoBleach, a total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy-based single-molecule photobleaching step analysis technique to determine the oligomeric distribution of membrane proteins directly from native membranes at an effective spatial resolution of ~10 nm. We achieved this by capturing target membrane proteins in native nanodiscs with their proximal native membrane environment using amphipathic copolymers. We applied Native-nanoBleach to quantify the oligomerization status of structurally and functionally diverse membrane proteins, including a receptor tyrosine kinase (TrkA) and a small GTPase (KRas) under growth-factor binding and oncogenic mutations, respectively. Our data suggest that Native-nanoBleach provides a sensitive, single-molecule platform to quantify membrane protein oligomeric distributions in native membranes under physiologically and clinically relevant conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Walker
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Nanobiology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Caroline Brown
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Nanobiology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Xiangyu Ge
- Department of Pathology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shailesh Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mandar D Muzumdar
- Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, USA
| | - Kallol Gupta
- Department of Cell Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Nanobiology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT, USA
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2
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Majumder A, Vuksanovic N, Ray LC, Bernstein HM, Allen KN, Imperiali B, Straub JE. Synergistic computational and experimental studies of a phosphoglycosyl transferase membrane/ligand ensemble. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105194. [PMID: 37633332 PMCID: PMC10519829 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Complex glycans serve essential functions in all living systems. Many of these intricate and byzantine biomolecules are assembled employing biosynthetic pathways wherein the constituent enzymes are membrane-associated. A signature feature of the stepwise assembly processes is the essentiality of unusual linear long-chain polyprenol phosphate-linked substrates of specific isoprene unit geometry, such as undecaprenol phosphate (UndP) in bacteria. How these enzymes and substrates interact within a lipid bilayer needs further investigation. Here, we focus on a small enzyme, PglC from Campylobacter, structurally characterized for the first time in 2018 as a detergent-solubilized construct. PglC is a monotopic phosphoglycosyl transferase that embodies the functional core structure of the entire enzyme superfamily and catalyzes the first membrane-committed step in a glycoprotein assembly pathway. The size of the enzyme is significant as it enables high-level computation and relatively facile, for a membrane protein, experimental analysis. Our ensemble computational and experimental results provided a high-level view of the membrane-embedded PglC/UndP complex. The findings suggested that it is advantageous for the polyprenol phosphate to adopt a conformation in the same leaflet where the monotopic membrane protein resides as opposed to additionally disrupting the opposing leaflet of the bilayer. Further, the analysis showed that electrostatic steering acts as a major driving force contributing to the recognition and binding of both UndP and the soluble nucleotide sugar substrate. Iterative computational and experimental mutagenesis support a specific interaction of UndP with phosphoglycosyl transferase cationic residues and suggest a role for critical conformational transitions in substrate binding and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayan Majumder
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Leah C Ray
- Program in Biomolecular Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hannah M Bernstein
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Karen N Allen
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Program in Biomolecular Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Barbara Imperiali
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - John E Straub
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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Dodge GJ, Bernstein HM, Imperiali B. A generalizable protocol for expression and purification of membrane-bound bacterial phosphoglycosyl transferases in liponanoparticles. Protein Expr Purif 2023; 207:106273. [PMID: 37068720 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2023.106273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
Phosphoglycosyl transferases (PGTs) are among the first membrane-bound enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of bacterial glycoconjugates. Robust expression and purification protocols for an abundant subfamily of PGTs remains lacking. Recent advancements in detergent-free methods for membrane protein solubilization open the door for purification of difficult membrane proteins directly from cell membranes into native-like liponanoparticles. By leveraging autoinduction, in vivo SUMO tag cleavage, styrene maleic acid co-polymer liponanoparticles (SMALPs), and Strep-Tag purification, we have established a robust workflow for expression and purification of previously unobtainable PGTs. The material generated from this workflow is extremely pure and can be directly visualized by Cryogenic Electron Microscopy (CryoEM). The methods presented here promise to be generalizable to additional membrane proteins recombinantly expressed in E. coli and should be of interest to the greater membrane proteomics community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg J Dodge
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Hannah M Bernstein
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Barbara Imperiali
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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Sinha S, Kumar S, Singh K, Umam F, Agrawal V, Aggarwal A, Imperiali B. Immunochemical characterisation of styrene maleic acid lipid particles prepared from Mycobacterium tuberculosis plasma membrane. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280074. [PMID: 36608027 PMCID: PMC9821473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) can be targeted for the development of therapeutic and prophylactic interventions against tuberculosis. We have utilized the unique membrane-solubilising properties of the styrene maleic acid copolymer <styrene:maleic acid::2:1> (SMA) to prepare and characterise 'styrene maleic acid lipid particles' from the native membrane of Mtb (MtM-SMALPs). When resolved by SDS-PAGE and visualised with coomassie blue, the molecular weights of Mtb membrane (MtM) proteins solubilised by SMA were mostly in the range of 40-70 kDa. When visualised by transmission electron microscopy, MtM-SMALPs appeared as nanoparticles of discrete shapes and sizes. The discoid nanoparticles exhibited a range of diameters of ~10-90 nm, with largest portion (~61%) ranging from 20-40 nm. MtM proteins of a molecular weight-range overlapping with that of MtM-SMALPs were also amenable to chemical cross-linking, revealing protein complex formation. Characterisation using monoclonal antibodies against seven MtM-associated antigens confirmed the incorporation of the inner membrane protein PRA, membrane-associated proteins PstS1, LpqH and Ag85, and the lipoglycan LAM into MtM-SMALPs. Conversely, the peripheral membrane proteins Acr and PspA were nearly completely excluded. Furthermore, although MtM showed an abundance of Con A-binding glycoproteins, MtM-SMALPs appeared devoid of these species. Immune responses of healthcare workers harbouring 'latent TB infection' provided additional insights. While MtM-SMALPs and MtM induced comparable levels of the cytokine IFN-γ, only MtM-SMALPs could induce the production of TNF-α. Antibodies present in the donor sera showed significantly higher binding to MtM than to MtM-SMALPs. These results have implications for the development of MtM-based immunoprophylaxis against tuberculosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhir Sinha
- Department of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
- * E-mail:
| | - Shashikant Kumar
- Department of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Komal Singh
- Department of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Fareha Umam
- Department of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Vinita Agrawal
- Department of Pathology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Amita Aggarwal
- Department of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India
| | - Barbara Imperiali
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Anderson AJ, Seebald LM, Arbour CA, Imperiali B. Probing Monotopic Phosphoglycosyl Transferases from Complex Cellular Milieu. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:3191-3197. [PMID: 36346917 PMCID: PMC9703085 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Monotopic phosphoglycosyl transferase enzymes (monoPGTs) initiate the assembly of prokaryotic glycoconjugates essential for bacterial survival and proliferation. MonoPGTs belong to an expansive superfamily with a diverse and richly annotated sequence space; however, the biochemical roles of most monoPGTs in glycoconjugate biosynthesis pathways remain elusive. To better understand these critical enzymes, we have implemented activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) probes as protein-centric, membrane protein compatible tools that lay the groundwork for understanding the activity and regulation of the monoPGT superfamily from a cellular proteome. With straightforward gel-based readouts, we demonstrate robust, covalent labeling at the active site of various representative monoPGTs from cell membrane fractions using 3-phenyl-2H-azirine probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa J. Anderson
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Leah M. Seebald
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Christine A. Arbour
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Barbara Imperiali
- Department of Biology and Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Krishnarjuna B, Ramamoorthy A. Detergent-Free Isolation of Membrane Proteins and Strategies to Study Them in a Near-Native Membrane Environment. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1076. [PMID: 36008970 PMCID: PMC9406181 DOI: 10.3390/biom12081076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Atomic-resolution structural studies of membrane-associated proteins and peptides in a membrane environment are important to fully understand their biological function and the roles played by them in the pathology of many diseases. However, the complexity of the cell membrane has severely limited the application of commonly used biophysical and biochemical techniques. Recent advancements in NMR spectroscopy and cryoEM approaches and the development of novel membrane mimetics have overcome some of the major challenges in this area. For example, the development of a variety of lipid-nanodiscs has enabled stable reconstitution and structural and functional studies of membrane proteins. In particular, the ability of synthetic amphipathic polymers to isolate membrane proteins directly from the cell membrane, along with the associated membrane components such as lipids, without the use of a detergent, has opened new avenues to study the structure and function of membrane proteins using a variety of biophysical and biological approaches. This review article is focused on covering the various polymers and approaches developed and their applications for the functional reconstitution and structural investigation of membrane proteins. The unique advantages and limitations of the use of synthetic polymers are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bankala Krishnarjuna
- Department of Chemistry and Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Michigan Neuroscience Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
| | - Ayyalusamy Ramamoorthy
- Department of Chemistry and Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Michigan Neuroscience Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055, USA
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Neville GM, Edler KJ, Price GJ. Fluorescent styrene maleic acid copolymers to facilitate membrane protein studies in lipid nanodiscs. NANOSCALE 2022; 14:5689-5693. [PMID: 35315461 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr07230g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescently-labelled variants of poly(styrene-co-maleic acid), SMA, have been synthesised by RAFT copolymerisation. We show that low ratios of vinyl fluorophores, analogous to styrene, can be successfully incorporated during polymerisation without detriment to nanodisc formation upon interaction with lipids. These novel copolymers are capable of encapuslating lipids and the model membrane protein, gramicidin, and hence have the potential to be applied in fluorescence-based biological studies. To demonstrate this, energy transfer is used to probe polymer-protein interactions in nanodiscs. The copolymers may also be used to monitor nanodisc self assembly by exploiting aggregation-caused-quenching (ACQ).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karen J Edler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Gareth J Price
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK
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Micikas R, Acharyya A, Gai F, Smith AB. A Scalable Synthesis of the Blue Fluorescent Amino Acid 4-Cyanotryptophan and the Fmoc Derivative: Utility Demonstrated with the Influenza M2 Peptide Tetramer. Org Lett 2021; 23:1247-1250. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.0c04055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Micikas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Arusha Acharyya
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Feng Gai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Amos B. Smith
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 231 South 34th St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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9
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Grime RL, Goulding J, Uddin R, Stoddart LA, Hill SJ, Poyner DR, Briddon SJ, Wheatley M. Single molecule binding of a ligand to a G-protein-coupled receptor in real time using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, rendered possible by nano-encapsulation in styrene maleic acid lipid particles. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:11518-11525. [PMID: 32428052 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr01060j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The fundamental importance of membrane proteins in cellular processes has driven a marked increase in the use of membrane mimetic approaches for studying and exploiting these proteins. Nano-encapsulation strategies which preserve the native lipid bilayer environment are particularly attractive. Consequently, the use of poly(styrene co-maleic acid) (SMA) has been widely adopted to solubilise proteins directly from cell membranes by spontaneously forming "SMA Lipid Particles" (SMALPs). G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are ubiquitous "chemical switches", are central to cell signalling throughout the evolutionary tree, form the largest family of membrane proteins in humans and are a major drug discovery target. GPCR-SMALPs that retain binding capability would be a versatile platform for a wide range of down-stream applications. Here, using the adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR) as an archetypical GPCR, we show for the first time the utility of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) to characterise the binding capability of GPCRs following nano-encapsulation. Unbound fluorescent ligand CA200645 exhibited a monophasic autocorrelation curve (dwell time, τD = 68 ± 2 μs; diffusion coefficient, D = 287 ± 15 μm2 s-1). In the presence of A2AR-SMALP, bound ligand was also evident (τD = 625 ± 23 μs; D = 30 ± 4 μm2 s-1). Using a non-receptor control (ZipA-SMALP) plus competition binding confirmed that this slower component represented binding to the encapsulated A2AR. Consequently, the combination of GPCR-SMALP and FCS is an effective platform for the quantitative real-time characterisation of nano-encapsulated receptors, with single molecule sensitivity, that will have widespread utility for future exploitation of GPCR-SMALPs in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael L Grime
- School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK and Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, UK
| | - Joelle Goulding
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, UK and Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Romez Uddin
- Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| | - Leigh A Stoddart
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, UK and Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Stephen J Hill
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, UK and Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - David R Poyner
- Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| | - Stephen J Briddon
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, UK and Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Mark Wheatley
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), University of Birmingham and University of Nottingham, Midlands, UK and Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Alison Gingell Building, Coventry University, Coventry, CV1 2DS, UK.
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